Pneumatic carpet-cleaning machine.



J; F. RUDD. PNEUMATIO CARPET CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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APPLICATION TILED MAR. 22, 1907. Y Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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Witnesses WMW J.P.RUDD. PNEUMATIG CARPET CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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mm srarrns PATENT oFFio-E.

JOHN RUDD, F KANSAS oi'rY, MISSOURI, AssmNo'R-To CLARENCE-E. MEAD,oFcnIoA'oo, y ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC CARI-E T CLEANlN G MACHINE.

' Be it; krIown that I, J 01 n F.

I Cleaning -Macliines, ofwhich the following I made to travel so as tobe contacted by" a;

is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of 'a carpet, cleaningmachine by which the dust and dirt will be positivelyand effect ivelyremoved from the carpet and transmitted' to a. stream of water, so that.the dust and dirt will be assembled by the water and not escape into theroom and atmosphere,

-.thereby preventing injurious effects to the operator of the machinedust and dirt.

from inhaling the The objects of the invention are to construct .asupport over which the carpet is plurality of, revolving brushes, whichengage-the nap. of the carpet andoperate .to

separate andreniove the dust and dirt; to m?loya plurality of supportingfeed rollers an a plurality of rotary brushes, with thebrushesinterposed between the feed rollers,

and having a more rapid revolution than he feed rollers, allowing the.feed rollers to serveas ineans for holding back the forfward. travel ofthe carpet; to locate each rotary brush in'the upper end of ahydropneumatic tube, operating under suction to draw down and iremovethe dust and dirt,

separated or dislodged from the carpet by the' opera'tion oftherevolving brush; to pro *ducega suction in: the upper or air section of"the hydro-pneumatic tube by means of a' stream of water, flowingdownwardly 1n the lower or water section. of the tube, the

continuous hydro-pneumatic tube; to furnish a tank for holding water,having con1-' inunication with the lower or water section of tl1etube,.and supplying water to the .tank,

so as to maintain a continuous flow through the lower or water sectionof the tube, and

' therebymaintain the suction in the-upper or so as to maintain acontinuous circulation of ,water', untilthe water becomes so impreg-'nated with dust and dirt as to be nonusable to automatically open andclose the upper or I I RUDD, aciti-'. zen of the United States, residingat Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Carpet- ISpecification of Letters Patent.

V v Application filed March 22, 19TH. Serial No. 363,989.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

air section of each tube by means of a valve" actuated by. the forwardtravel of the carpet or otherwise; tocontrol the fiow of water from thetank into thelower or water section .of each tube by a valve, openingand closing the communication between the tank and the tube; and toimprove generally the construction, arrangement and operation of theseveral appliances entering into the formation of the machine as awhole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings illustrating the invention, Figure 1 isaside elevationof the machine as a whole; Fig. 2 a top or plan view, showing the feedrollers and revoluble brushes,

with the support for the carpet removed;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the? lnachine with the valveoperating means for the valves of the; vacuum tribes omitted; Fig.

4 a top or plan; view' of the supporting frame for the carpet with thefeed rollers and revoluble brushes removed; Fig.- 5 a '80 crosssectionon line a'a ofFig. -1;- Fig. 6

a'd'etail showing the upper endof a vacuum:

tube or pipe and valve-operating means;-'

Fig. 7. a detail in longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 6;Fig. 8 a detailin section showing the valve of -the water tank withoperating means therefor; Fig. 9 a detail in say elevation of thedischarging tube or pipe for Y the Water; Fig. 10 a. detail in sideelevation showing a modification in the ,carpet supporting rods; Fig. 11a detail in side elevation, showing a brush and roller for supportingthe carpet; Fig. 12 a cross section 1 through the upperend of one of thepipes or tubes, showing the controllingv valve with arms at each end foroperating the sameand having the arms connected by across rod; 7

Fig. 13 a side elevation of a portion of the driving gear for revolvingthe feed rollers; and brushes, with thedriving chains om t-- ted; Fig.'14 a top or plan view ofthe, parts shown in Fig. 13, with the drivingchains omitted; and Fig. 15 a top or-plan viewoff the parts shown inFigs. 13 and 14', 'ith the ion.

arrangement of driving chains-employedfoi'j driving the rollers; andbrushes. w.

The construction 'showni has a frame cone sisting of longitudinal orside pieces'l and"; cross or end pieces 2,-united to the longitudi nallor side pieces in 'anysuitable manner;

and the frame issupported by means. of

legs or standards 3, at each corner ofthe side pieces, bolted to theside pieces and bolted or otherwise connected with a floor or base piece4, soas to furnish a support for the frame and theoperating devicescarried by the frame.

advances in contact with the brushes.

The frame, at its: receiving end and discharge end for the carpet, hasguide or presser rollers 5, journaled in suitable-stand-,

ards 6 attached to the .side rails, and between which guide or prsserrollers the carpet is fed forward over the frame. The frame haslongitudinally thereof a plurality of feed and retention rollers 7, andeachv feed or retention roller 7 has, on its circumference, rubber 8,which acts to engage the nap of the carpet passing over the frame andadvance or feed forward the carpet, un

' mounted in a suitable journal box-or bearing 11 at each end, whichjournal boxes or bearings are'supported on the side rails of the frame.A plurality of longitudinal rods 12 extend from end to end of the frame,and these rods are supported by cross strips 13 attached to the sideframes, so that the rods are in a plane parallel with the uppertraveling surface of the rollers 7 and brushes'lO, for the brushes tocontact the under face of the carpet as the carpet is fed forward overthe frame.

Each revolving brush 1() has coiiperating therewith a flat tpbe or pipeconsisting of an upper section or portion and a lower sec tion orportion, the upper sectlon or portion- 14 of which is forsuction andterminates, at its upper end in a trough 15 in which the brush lies, asshown in Flg. 3, by which arrangement the dirt and dust, separated and,

removed from the carpet by theaction of the brush, will be drawn downinto the upper pneumatic or suction section 14 of the flat tube or pipe.The upper section 14 of each tube or pipe is of the full inside width ofthe frame, and the troughs 15 correspond in length with the length ofthe brush, so that the brush can lie within the ends of the trough ofits pneumatic or suction pipe.

-. Each upper section ofeach flat tube or pipe,

as shown, depends vertically from its mouth or trough 15, and the lowersection 16 of the tube or pipe, which is for water, has a verticalstraight portion and an inclined straight portion, which is graduallynarrowing until it termlnates in a m uth or discharge end adapted toenter a, receiver common to all of the pipes.

- Each fiat tube or pipe at; thejuncture of its upper and lowersection/s in communication with a water supply: tank 17 and, in thearrangement shown, each water supply tank 17 has one side wall formed bythe wall of the tube or pipe and the other side wall formed by aninclined wall 18, and each supply tank for water is closed at each endby a wall or plate 19, so as to confine. the water and have a freedischarge for the water through the medium of the inclined side wall1.8, which tends todirect. the flow of water from the tank downwardlyinto the upper end of the lower or water section of the tube or pipe.The construction slrqwn has two tanks 17 located side by side, withtheir inclined walls 18 coming to an apex, and water, as shown, issupplied to both tanks 17 by a supply pipe 20, having a per- .jQrated orslotted. under side to allow the free escape of the water on each sideof the apex into the two supply tanks in equal amount. Each supply pipe20 leads from a common feed pipe 21, and extends the full. width of thefiat suction and water tubesjof pipes. The feed pipe 21 is connectedwit-ha supply pipe 22, leading from a centrifugal or other type of forcepump 23, which driven or operated from an electric motor 24or-otlierwise. Each water tank 17, at its lower or contracted end, is incommunication, with its lower section 16 of the pipe or tube by openingsor passages 25, so that, when the openings or passages 25 are openwater, can flow from the tank 17 intothe lower or water section 16 'ofthe pipe or tube, creating a downward suction in the upper section 14 ofthe pipe, and its moutlr or trough 15 from a point above the inlet forthe water, which suction operates to draw down the separated and removeddust and dirt. The lower sections 16 of the plurality of pipes or tubes,terminate in a common receptacle 26, so as to discharge the water anddirt and dust commingled therewith into the receptacle, and from thereceptacle 26 the water,with the dust and dirt therein, is drawn intothe pump 23, by

means of a connecting pipe 27 for the water to be discharged from thepump through 1 the pipe 22, thereby maintaining a continuous feed of thewater to the chambers 17, and a continuous flow from the chambers 17through the pipes or tubes, so long as the pump is operated.

. It is desirable, in order to save power, that the creating of asuction in each flat tube 'or pipe should occuras the advanced end ofthe carpet reaches and passes over each succeeding rotary brushflOHlihGfilSi to the last, and for this purpose each flat suction pipeor tube,- at its'juncture with thevbottom of the mouth or trough 15, hasa flap or other valve located and operating to open and closecommunication, between each flat suction pipe ortube and its mouth ortrough l5, as the carpet, in its forward movement, reaches and passesover a .brush. rangement shown has, for each suction pipe or tube, avalve 28, located at the jui'icture of the pipe or tube with its mouthor trougl'i, which valve 28 is supported on a, rod 29 extending from endto end of the pipe or tube, and mounted in suitable bearings 30, so asto allow the'valve to the raised and lowered as required to open thetube or pipe for suction, or to close the pipe or tube against suction.The arrangement shown has, at each end of the rocking rod 29; astuflin'g box 31 to prevent leakage in use, and on each end of the rodsan arm 32, connected by a pivot 33 witha link 34 of a lever 35,

' which is pivotally mounted on a cross rod 36 with the upper end of thelever 35 in a slightly higher plane'than the upper travel ing surface ofthe feed rollers 7 and rotary brushes 10, so that, as the advanced edgeof the carpet strikes the upper end of the lever 35, thelower end of theleverwill be moved gages successively the upper end of each lever, thevalves of the several pipes or tubes will be successively opened. Eachvalve 28 is thrown down to close its pipe or tube, in thearrangementsho-wn, by a coiled spring 37, one end'of which is attachedto the lever 35 and the other end of which is attached in or stud 38 onthe side rail, it being stood that each end of the rod for thecontrolling valve 28 has a crank arm and a lever, with a spring or othermeans, for re- 3 turningthe lever and thevalve to their clo edposltions.

The ank -alumna be; filled wt The upper end of each lever 35 has aninturned portion 39 so as to insure a contact of suiiicient extent tooscillate or vibrate the lever and .open the valve pend, if desired orbe connected. by :a 0d 0r bar; dotted il'inesgii-n Fig.ai" is. v

levers; simultaneously: 1;

before allowing -.tl1'ewater toafiovaifroim 'elacih tank-into its pieiserudube sand =ifor -this pun-t posesw valyeps. '-id', beprovidediztovcontrol The arthe openings or passages 25 between the tankand its tube or pipe. shown has a gate or othervalve 41, movable ways43, so as to have a vertical movement its tube or pipe, v I

Each gate or other [valve .41 is connected by rods n with a cross'rod45, and each cross rod a5 is connected to a vertically-inov-' able bar46- at each end thereof, which: bar. is movable in guides 47, so astobefree-to rise and fall, and thereby raiseand lower of linkstS, eachlink attached tea stud or each link is attached by apin or pivot-'30 toa longitudinally sliding bar} 51,. held in guides or keepers 52, sothatgwiththeendwise movement of the longitudinal. sliding bar 46, andwith it the gate or other valve,

=i-ts pipe or tube. The constructionshown ,has each endwise slidingbar51 connected by a pivot 53, witha depending armt l '55, supported inbrackets 56 and having an arm 57 :tor the attachment of acord or'othe be.rpcked toswing the arms 54-and move the sliding bars 51 endwise; and,as shown,-

coiled springs 58, one for each arm 54L,iand connected at oneend to thearm-and at the other end to the outer tube, shownin Fig. 1. 1

It is desirable, that the .bmishes shall have shown, the'shaft of eachfeed and retaining roller has, on one end :the'reof,=sprocketwheels 59and 60, and the shaft of eitlcll ijtli wheels 61 and 62, with the"sprocket. wheels 61 and 62 of a less diameter than'wthe sprocket wheels59 and 60-, so as t oi-give a higher speed for the brushes. i

sprocket chain 63 running around "the drip ing sprocket wheel 59 on theshaft oi the first roller 7 and a sprocketychain for the sprocket wheel60 on the'shaft oithe-xfirst roller '2'. and the sprorket'wheel '62oirthe runningaroundthe sprocket wheel 61 on the l and another sprocketchain :01: the sprocket wheel fid on the shaft :oi the second rolier jthe second brush, and so-on as shown a dotted jlinesrin FigJ2, so'thatthesprocZ-tet in end guideways 42 and intermediate guidefor opening andclosing the passages 25 to shut off the outfiowof water from thetank orallow the water to flow from the tank nto device, by means ofwhich;the..ro'd 55 "can a higher speed than the feed rollers.

first brush shaft and another-s irocket chain- "shaft-oftlie firstbrush,- and the sprocinat' I wheel 59-onthe shaft. of it'he' s'econdroller,"

and the sprocket wheel 62; ontthe..shai't The arrangenment the gate orother valve. Each vertically movable bar 46 is connected wit-haplurality.

pivot 49 on the bar, and theopposite end of I oar51 the links 48 willoperate and raise the i i and allow water to flow from a tank 17 "intowhich arms 54:, are connected toacross rode the bars are returned tonornial'position by.

-11( tary brush has on one end thereofi'sprocket 5 The driving meansshownvconsistsofa .40 and is engaged by the feed rollers, and car aneansthan sprocket' chains and sprocket wheels can be used so long asthe'drive is one furnishing'a higher speed for the rotary brushes thanfor the feed rollers.

The construction shown in Fig. 1 has a single series offguide rods 12for supporting the carpet in position to pass over and in contact withthe rotary brushes, but if de-- sired or necessary, means for holdingthe carpet down can be provided. The holding of'the carpet down can beattained by the use of a second series of guide rods 64 'over the lowerseries 65, as shown 'in Fig. 10; and this second series of guide rods(it have cross straps or bars 66, connected by tension springs 67 ateach end of each cross bar or strap, which springs are attached to theside rails l of the frame, or otherwise connected, so as to actand'allow the necessary yield for the guide bars to permit the passageof the carpet between the upper and lower series of g'uideloa-rs.

An arrangement of tension rollers 68 can alsobe employedfor holding.down. the car- Each tension roller 1s supported so as to be yieldable bymeans of suitable springs 69, and a tension roller, in thearrangementshown, is located over pet as shown in Fig. 11.

' each brush, and with this arrangement the guide rods can sired.

The operation will be understood from the foregoing description,butbriefly is as follows: The carpet is entered between there-' ceivingrollers 5, atthe front of the machine,

fried forward by the action of such rollers in connection with therotary" brushes. tanks 17' are filled with water to the required height,and when .full, the valves controlling the communicaticin between thelower or water section 16 of the pipes or tubes andv their respectivetanks. 1.7, are opened, allowing water to flow from each discharge tankinto its 'pipe or tube, and such flow of water through the pipe or tubewill create a suc tion in the upper section 14 of the pipe or tube, theamount of suction, depending on the rapidity of the flow of the waterand the length of the suction pipe or tube between .its upper end andthe point of admission of the Water to the pipe or tube.

After suction has been established by the down flow of the water throughthe lower sections. of the pipes or tubes,-as the forward edge of. the

carpet reaches the levers 35 of the first pipe or tube, the forwardtravel of the carpet will open the controlling valve of this pipe ortube so that the dust, separated and removed be,dispensed with, if sode- The by the rotation of the brush of this pipe or tube, will be drawndown into the upper section lof the pipe or tube and commihgle with thewater in the lower section 16 of the \pipe or tube. Each controllingvalve of the several pipes or tubes will be successively opened, as theforward edge .of the carpet engages with the levers 35 of the controllmgvalve, so that each pipe or tube in succes sion will be opened fortheremoval of the dust and dirt separated from'the carpet by the actionof the rotary brush-ofeach pipe or tube. The carpet travels the fulllength of the plurality of brushes, and its forward .end, in thearrangement shown, passes under the rollers 5 at the rear end of themachine, for removal of the carpet from themachine. The dust and dirtcommingles with the water passing through each pipe or tube; and thewater, with the dust and dirt commingled therewith, enters the commonreceiver 26 and is drawn through the pipe 27 ous flow through the. pipesor tubes for creating the requisite suction inthe upper sections oftheseveral pipes or tubes to remove the dust and dirt separatedby therotary brushes. After the water becomes too foul for further use, it canbe discharged from the pump and new water supplied to /the tanks forreceiving the dust and dirt. The carpet is to be passed over the rotarybrushesonce or a suflicient number of' times to thoroughly cleanse thecarpet; and under the term carpet is included fabrics and materials ofany description which can be cleaned by the brushes and suction.

I WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pneumatic carpet cleaning machine, the combination of asupporting frame, a series of revoluble feed rollers, a series of rotarybrushes, each brush traveling at 'a'greater speed than the feed rollers,the rollers and brushes arranged parallel one with the other and havingtheir upper traveling surfaces in the same horizontal plane, adownwardly leading flat pipe for each brush and having the brush'inclosed at its upper end, a fixed horizontal carpet support extendingover and loeated in the plane of the upper traveling surfaces of theentire series of rollers and brushes, means for supplying a stream ofwaterto flow as described.

which it is automatically operated with the forward "travel of thecarpet, substantially 2; f In a pneumatic carpet cleaning machine, thecombination of ;a supporting frame, aplurality' of revolving feedrollers,

, a plurality of rotary brushes, a suction pipe for eachbrush inclosingits brush'at the upper end, means for creating a suction 1n said 7 pipe,a -controlling valve below the brush for each-pipe, and means forautomatically operating each controlling valve from v the forward travelof-the carpet, substan-- tially.as described.

3. In a pneumatic carpet cleaning machine, the combination of asupporting frame, a series of guide rods extending longitudinally of theframe and furnishing" 'a horizontal support for the carpet, .a pluralityof revoluble feed. rollers below the guide/rods, a'plurality of rotarybrushes operating under the guide rods, the rollers and the brushesarranged parallel one with the other and spaced apart and having theirupper traveling surfaces in the same horizontal plane, a downwardlyleading fiat pipe for each brush and having the brush in-' sclosed'within its upper end, a water supply tank'ior each pipe, andmeans forsupplying water to each tank to 'be discharged into and How downwardlythrough each flat pipe and create a suction in the pipe, the waterreceiving and removing'the dust and dirt guide rods, a plurality ofrotary brushes travelin substantially as described.-

operating under the guide rods,"with the feed rollersand brushesalternating and the brushes having a higher speedthan the feed rollers,and withthe rollers; and brushes arran ed parallel one with the otherand space apart and having their upper travelmg surfacesin the samehorizontal plane. a

suction pipe for each brush, the upper end of each pipe inclosing itsbrush, means for'creating a suction in eachpipe and a valve f or eachpipe atjits-upper end," and automatic:

carpet, substantially as described.

chine, the combination of a frame, a rev-. oluble feed roller mounted onthe .frame, a rotary brush traveling at a greater speed than the feedroller and llnounted on the ally operatedfrom the forward travel of the.

5. In a pneumatic carpet cleaning ma frame in advance of the roller,with the roller and brush spaced apart and having their upper travelinsurfaces in thesam'e arranged parallel one horizontal plane an I withthe other, a downwardly leading flat pipe forthe brush havingthe brushinclose'd v within its upper end and receiving thereinto and removingthe dust and dirt separated from the carpet by the action of the brush,a

70. over and located in the plane'of the upper surfaces of the rollerand brush,

fixed horizontal carpet support extending means orsupplying a stream ofwater to flow, downwardly inthe. pipe and create a suction 'injthe upperportion thereof,a' shut ofl? for the upper end of the pipebelow thebrush and means for opening-the shut-ofi to furnish communicationbetween the brush I and pipe as the carpet travels over the brush,

- .JOHN F. lVitnesses:

OSCAR WV. Bonn, u PAULINE BECKMAN.

